Stories by: Tom Matowitz
Recently retired after a 37-year career teaching public speaking, Tom Matowitz has had a lifelong interest in local and regional history. Working as a freelance author for the past 20 years he has written a number of books and articles about Cleveland’s past. He has a particular interest in the area’s rich architectural history.
Cleveland Masterworks: Daniel H. Burnham and John Wellborn Root—pioneers in steel framing construction—designed three of Cleveland's tallest buildings, for the times, in the 1890s.
Cleveland Masterworks: Frank Walker and Henry Weeks designed more than 600 buildings, including some of Cleveland's most recognizable structures—from Severance Hall to the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge.
Cleveland Masterworks: J. Milton Dyer was a versatile architect—designing industrial buildings and social clubs, while also designing summer homes for Cleveland's early elite crowd.
Cleveland Masterworks: From Civil War soldier to designing the Soldiers and Sailors monument and Central High School, to his home on a bluff overlooking the city, Levi Scofield was a man of many talents.
Cleveland Masterworks: Frank Lloyd Wright may be known for his designs for Falling Water, New York's Guggenheim, and Tokyo's Imperial Hotel, but the 11 Usonian homes he designed in Ohio—most notably the Penfield House—set the stage for Tom Matowitz's behind-the-scenes look at Wright's life.
A strong contender for Cleveland's greatest architect is Frank B. Meade, renowned for his mastery of the Tudor style. Known for designing the Hermit Club and the Drury mansion, Meade and partner Montgomery Hamilton designed more than 800 unique homes in the Cleveland area.
Architect Charles Schweinfurth made a name for himself in the late 1800s by designing homes for the wealthy on Millionaires Row and other Cleveland neighborhoods, as well as iconic landmarks like Trinity Cathedral. Historian Tom Matowitz explores Schweinfurth's life and contributions to Cleveland architecture.